Good-byes, Wal-Mart, and Jackrabbit

SUNDAY: I woke up to a chorus of roosters cock-a-doodle-doing and little boys yelling in the hallway. I had to think for a long time before I realized that I had indeed awaken in the correct place...my new home with Loren and Donna and family. We ate breakfast with a large selection of cereal: Soriana cornflakes, Kellogg's cornflakes, Nestle cornflakes, Maizoro cornflakes or raisin bran. Afterwards, I bounced along on a stool all of the way to San Pedro where the bugs swarmed (fortunately, I was armed). After the service, we had a very long, bouncy, ride home, depositing people in their respective villages as we went. In the afternoon, I hung pictures on my new wall and enjoyed being purely lazy. After the Choix service, Stacey and I went along with the truck out to Mochiqui with a very bad Jorge and an extremely bad Santos. Stacey and I ate lots of popcorn for supper and then went out for a walk.

MONDAY: Monday was Stacey's last full day in Mexico. I cut up and cooked another pumpkin (the over-abundance of pumpkins reminds me of the Biblical account of the oil jar that never ran dry). I ran to the tienda (store) to buy groceries for Vanessa's family. Then Stacey and I set out for another game of Phase 10 with Lupita and Vanessa. We got back in time to do some baking before lunch...while Rena mopped the floor around us. I went to the bank and enjoyed seeing my checking account in pesos (it looks like a lot more money). We made the dessert for the girls' party on Friday night and played more Phase 10 with Marlen. That evening, after we walked Marlen home, we hopped into the truck with Donna to go to "verb class", which unknown to Stacey, was a surprise goodbye party for her. When Donna opened the bodega (shed) door, we heard a giant "SURPRISE!!!" and proceeded to eat cake, ice cream, and peanuts.

TUESDAY: After our alarm went off way too early in the morning, Stacey finished packing while we looked on soberly. We set out to Los Mochis, squishing eight people in Loren's little truck...but had to jump back out to push the truck until it started. Finally, we all piled in again and took off. Fortunately, it was chilly enough that the tight spaces didn't matter much. First we took Stacey to the airport and waited with her until her flight was called. We drove out along the runway and watched her take off, en route from warm, balmy Mexico to freezing cold Virginia. We dropped Donna and the boys off at a park and went to Telmex to cancel Stacey's and my Internet. We went back to the park and when Janessa and I walked in to find the others, we promptly stepped in mud. That made six muddy pairs of shoes trying to clean up on the grass around the light poles before traipsing into the huge Americanized mall. I experienced a bit a culture-shock at the size and cleanliness of the stores and the people who looked and dressed more American than Mexican. I had a spicy chicken sandwich and fries from Burger King in the mall food court. And I went to Wal-Mart for the first time since August. I love America, but I must admit that I was relieved when I saw the "Bienvenidos a Choix" arch and found out we were having bean burritos for dinner. I went to bed early and drifted off into oblivion until the morning.

WEDNESDAY: We had oatmeal for breakfast. It's strange to eat with a family and strange to eat something warm for breakfast. I mixed up chocolate-chip cookies for the men to take to the prison. Donna was pre-occupied so I entertained myself by cleaning some kitchen shelves. We had delicious chicken, potato salad, and biscuits for lunch. After my time off, Janessa, Marlen, and I walked around town to pass out the invitations to the girls' party on Friday night (yes, Mexicans do things last minute...otherwise they forget). Marlen was the perfect person to have along. She stood boldly at the front gate and bellowed, "FatimA! MiroslavA! LupitA!" while Janessa and I cowered behind her. We came back for a quick supper and prayer meeting.

THURSDAY: On my first day off in my new home, I got up late and did my laundry and read my book in the hammock. It was wonderful. Rach brought me a tiny piece of leftover jackrabbit. Sam, from the orphanage shot it with his BB gun and someone from Mochiqui cleaned and skinned it. Rach and Bri cooked it in the crock pot and I expressed my desire to try it. So there it was in front of me, hidden in the quesadillas I had made for my brunch. Was it good? I think so, despite my mental block that I was actually eating a jackrabbit. After eating, I meandered up to the plaza to read some more and then came home to read again. Uncle Tom's Cabin is a very good book, btw...even if it is 617 pages long. I worked on things for the girl party and helped with dinner. Loren and Donna left for the evening so Janessa, Caleb, Kedric, Kyle, and I stayed home and watched Barney Fife make blunder after blunder.

FRIDAY: The entire morning was spent preparing for the girls' party. Janessa (who was supposed to be kept in the dark about the party) had a million questions with a million elusive answers. I felt like I was working too hard to keep secrets from girls that popped in and out all day, curiously surveying their surroundings. Donna told me to take time off, but I felt too guilty laying in the hammock while others slaved away around me. Therefore, I helped Rach and Bri by offering suggestions with decorating while eating their leftover Jell-O. LOL. I was working on the party favors when our first guest arrived a few hours early. She helped me prepare the favors until more guests arrived. Close to thirty guests came in all. Debbie and Donna gave talks and the girls played games. Rach, Bri, and I prepared their food plates and then mingled and socialized after the games. I went with Loren to take the girls home and found myself victim of much ado and rib-breaking affection. When I got home, I showered and crashed.

SATURDAY: As always on Saturday, we had Saturday school. Aile had spent the night so she helped us set up for class. We ate another cornflake breakfast before the children herded in. There wasn't as many children as usual, but we still had a good class. After the last of them had been sent home, I asked Aile to help me prepare lunch...we were eating nopal (cactus). She ended up basically making the entire meal while I heated up leftover beans. After cleaning up from lunch, I walked to the plaza to read my book. When I returned, Donna, Janessa, and Aile were hanging a shade from the outside wall to the trees over the hammock. Ah, I've gotta love living here. Today isn't over yet, but I'll try to keep it low-key so you all don't miss anything exciting in my life. LOL.